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Interfacing for Audio & Music - ELE00116M

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  • Department: Electronic Engineering
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Andy Hunt
  • Credit value: 10 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
    • See module specification for other years: 2021-22

Module summary

Readily affordable microprocessors and electronic sensors allow engineers and music technologists to be ever more creative in building innovative small, but effective devices, for music performance, music analysis or even for investigating data through sound. This module challenges you to design and build a real-time system using commonly available electronic components. A series of introductory labs teach you the basics of interfacing and programming using the BBC Micro:Bit, but then it's over to you. You can choose to focus on one application area selected from the fields of interactive sonification, computer-based musical instruments, or musical performance analysis with the assignment tailored to your own interests and experience.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Spring Term 2022-23

Module aims

Subject content aims:

  • Interactive computing and electronic technology for audio processing and analysis

  • Sensor interfacing to microcontroller systems

  • Selection, design and build of an interactive audio system.

Graduate skills aims:

  • Creativity in design choices given a limited range of components and equipment.

  • Working within time-scale and budgetary limitations

  • Evaluating available options and making considered and justifiable choices.

  • Respond creatively to a technical brief

Module learning outcomes

 

Subject content learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

  • Analyse state-of-the-art research in Human-computer interfacing for audio

  • Design and build a system which interfaces electronic sensors to a microcontroller using commonly available electronic components (such as Arduino, resistors, sensors etc.)

  • Demonstrate successful data handling and processing, via an example chosen from interactive sonification, computer-based musical instruments, or musical performance analysis.

Graduate skills learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

  • Effectively communicate design choices through written and multimedia content.

  • Make an informed choice of project from the three module topics.

  • Work within given time and budget limitations.

Module content

Students will be asked to report weekly on progress of their design/build activity through the e-learning log.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Interactive audio system		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Interactive audio system		 N/A 100

Module feedback

'Feedback’ at a university level can be understood as any part of the learning process which is designed to guide your progress through your degree programme. We aim to help you reflect on your own learning and help you feel more clear about your progress through clarifying what is expected of you in both formative and summative assessments. A comprehensive guide to feedback and to forms of feedback is available in the Guide to Assessment Standards, Marking and Feedback. This can be found at https://www.york.ac.uk/students/studying/assessment-and-examination/guide-to-assessment/ The Department of Electronic Engineering aims to provide some form of feedback on all formative and summative assessments that are carried out during the degree programme. In general, feedback on any written work/assignments undertaken will be sufficient so as to indicate the nature of the changes needed in order to improve the work. Students are provided with their examination results within 20 working days of the end of any given examination period. The Department will also endeavour to return all coursework feedback within 20 working days of the submission deadline. The Department would normally expect to adhere to the times given, however, it is possible that exceptional circumstances may delay feedback. The Department will endeavour to keep such delays to a minimum. Please note that any marks released are subject to ratification by the Board of Examiners and Senate. Meetings at the start/end of each term provide you with an opportunity to discuss and reflect with your supervisor on your overall performance to date.

Indicative reading

Key texts are updated annually and made available to the students.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.